Device for restoring cylindrical objects



Feb. 16, 1954 c. D. wILLIAMs 2,669,277

DEVICE FOR RESTORING CYLINDRICAL OBJECTS Filed March 15, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR c. D. WILLIAMS C. D WILLIAM S DEVICE FOR RESTORING CYLINDRICAL OBJECTS Feb. 16, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 15, 1951 2 FIG.'6

C. D. WILLIAMS Y W Macaw:

Patented Feb. 16, 1954 OFFICE DEVICE FOR REST ORING CYLINDRICAL OBJECTS Calvin n. -Williams, Cloquet, Minn.

Application March 15, 1951, Serial No. 215,812

11 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a device for straightening or rolling out nicks and wrinkles in cylindrical objects, such as milk cans and the like.

It is well known that milk cans are subject to rough treatment between the farm and the milk processing plant, as the cans are loaded on trucks and hauled over rough roads. At times the cans of milk are transferred to railroad cars for further transportation. "All this handling results in the cans being nicked and bent. Obviously, when a can has had a great many nicks made therein, it will not hold as much milk, and,'in addition, the tinned inner surface of the can may be marred, thus rendering the can unserviceable for sanitary reasons.

To place these damaged cans back in service, they must be straightened out, then re-tinned. The common method of straightening out the cans is to hammer them back into substantially their original shape. This method is not too fast or eflicient, as the can usually is enlarged in diameter when the hammering is finished, thereby increasing the capacity of the can. When this happens, the farmer puts more milk than necessary in the can to fill same to the full mark, and, obviously, loses money in so doing unless each can is carefully weighed.

It is, therefore, one of my principal objects to provide a machine for straightening milk cans,

and the like, which is fast and efficient.

Another object is to provide such a device which will not alter the specified diameter of a can being straightened, but which may be adjusted to regulate the can diameter. Another object is to provide such a device which is self-feeding so that a can may be inserted. in position and an operator need only adjust the pressure applied to the straightening operation.

A further object is to provide means for controlling the operating pressure of the machine so that embossing which may be on the can surface will still be readable.

. Another object is to provide for automatic centering of cans on the machine for straightening operations to be performed.

These and other objects of my invention will become more apparent as the description of my invention proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of my invention showing a milk can in its initial stages of straightening and" indicating in dotted lines the position of the can when in its final stages of straightening.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmental front elevational view showing the straightening rollers of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the movable roller showing its pivotal mounting on the operating arm.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view, partly in sec- I tion, of the machine showing the details thereof.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the self-centering chuck mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a fragmental sectional view on the line 6-6, Fig. 4.

In the drawing, the reference numeral l indicates the base for my machine, and 2 indicates a standard which extends upwardly from adjacent one end of the base to carry working parts of the machine. At the upper end of the standard is a lateral extension 3 which is preferably a part of the standard, as shown, making the standard a goose-neck or L-shape. The standard 2-3 is preferably of box-like construction for strength. The base and standard 2-3 make up the body member or chassis of the form of the invention here shown and described. 7

At the end of the base, opposite the standard, a second of minor standard 4 is carried, and a track 5--5 is carried between the two standards, the track preferably comprising a pair of spaced parallel channel irons, as shown. The base and two standards form the body member of my machine.

A tube 6 of a relatively large diameter is secured to the standard 2, as by a flange or collar I, or the like, the tube being placed substantially parallel with and between the two members of the track 5-5, as shown.

A sleeve 8 is slidably and rotatably carried on the tube 6, the sleeve having a tapered outer surface, the purpose of which will become apparent.

A' rack or frame 9 is longitudinally slidably carried on the track 5--5', the frame extending between the two members 5 of the track, and having a flange O overlapping the track members 5 and 5'. The rack 9 carries a self-centering chuck l2 thereon, the chuck extending toward the tube 6 and in axial alinement therewith. Milk cans ID are carried by and between the said chuck and the sleeve 8 for the straightening operation to be performed thereon.

To install a can in the machine for straightening, the neck ll of the can In is held in horizontal position and slipped over the tube 6 and on to the tapered sleeve 8, the tapered sleeve insuring the centering of the can neck on the tube. The self-centering chuck is then moved mounted .in the machine.

into position to engage the bottom of the can and is adjusted to securely grip the same.

The chuck l2 comprises a hub I3 which is rotatably carried on the sliding rack is, the hub having a shaft I t extending therethrough, the shaft being rotatable within the hub. An operating wheel 15 is provided on one end of the shaft M to permit manual rotation of the latter, the Wheel being on the outer end of the shaft away from the tube 6, as shown.

On the inner end of the shaft a disc or plate is carried, the shaft being threaded on its outer end, and the disc being threaded-1y carried thereon. A flange or collar I1 is provided on the shaft to insure against longitudinal reciprocation of the shaft in the hub 13.

The plate or disc 16 is provided with :a plurality of equi-depth radial slots la in its outer edge, and. equi-length legs l9 are pivotally carried at one end on the hub and extend through said slots 18 and beyond 'the disc Hi. The 'outer ends of said legs are equipped with :a 20, as shown. The legs [9 are biased toward zthecenter of the disc H5 as by an endiess spring :21 which is engaged around the legs, .of which there :are four here shown, a lug 22 being provided can each leg 2| 9 to hold the spring in place.

As is deemed apparent, the wheel 15 may be rotated to rotate the shaft 14 Within the hub 13. With the hub held stationary, the legs t9 will prevent rotation of the disc. However, the disc being held stationary will be reciprocate'd-on the shaft l 4 by the rotation of the shaft 1M due to its threaded installation thereon. Thus, it be seen that the reciprocation of the disc toward the hub will serve to spread the outer ends of the legs further apart, thereby .mak'in g :it possible to engage the shoes 20 against the rim 2-3 on the bottom of the can to very firmly to hold the bottom of the can securely in its desired position. The legs I9, being com-length, will insure the cans being held in its desired "axial alinement with the -eh uok and tube, of course.

By rotating the shaft M in the opposite direction, the disc will be moved away from the hub I 3 and the spring '21 will draw the legs together and thereby release the grip ef the shoes on the can rim 23.

It is deemed apparent that a can when mounted as above described may be readily rotated as the sleeve 8 is rotatable on the tube and the hub i3 is rotatable in the rack 9 to permit the cans rotating. 7

To straighten wrinkles and nicks in the can, I have provided a set of rollers 24, 25, and 2B; the rollers 24 and 25 being driven and the roller 26 being freely rotatably mounted. The "rollers 24 and 25 are carried at the outer end of the latter extending portion of the standard as by shafts 2'! and 28 respectively, the said sha-i ts extending through the bearing or journal 29 and, preferably, through the standard, as shown. A gear, 29 and "30, respectively, is provided on the outer end of the shafts 21 and 2-8, the said gears being adjacent, but not touching eachother so that :a single wide gear 31 may drive both .shaftsand rollers in the same direction.

It is to be noted that the shafts 2-! and '28 are not parallel, but the shaft "21 diverges slightly from the shaft 23 "from the gear 29 to the roller 24, thereby placing the roller 2! at a slight angle to the roller 25, which is preferably normal to the axial line of rotation of the can when This arrangement of of the can into the rollers for straightening, as the angular setting of the roller 24 tends to pull the can into the rollers.

As is apparent from the drawings, the roller 24 is carried lower than the roller 25 so that both rollers will engage the can to drive the latter in its rotation, the periphery of the rollers being in alinement with the periphery of the milk can, :and'the roller 25 'preferablyl'be'ing placed directly in line with the axis of "the can for best operating results.

The roller 26 is rotatably and pivotally carried directly underztheroller 25 at one end of a lever soraarm which extends through the tube 6 and is pivotally mounted, as at 3 I, within the standard'the opposite end of the lever being pivotally connected to la arm 32 which, in turn, is pivotally connected to the foot operated lever 33. The roller 26 is rotatably carried by a yoke 36 which is pivotally mounted on the lever 50, as at at, so as to provide :to'r automatic alinement or the roller 223 ion the pan wall. As is apparent, the depression of the lever 33 will raise the roller :21; on the :end of the lever 50. As seen tn the drawings, the roller 226 extends within the pan Em, and be raised and pressed against the inner walls :of the can, "the :roller '25 providing a backing :for the pressure applied, and the pivotal mounting pf the roller insuring self al mement of the hat face or the roller 26 against the inner walls of' th'e can M.

In operation, 'a can is placed on the machine, as shown and previously described, with the bead -3 adjacent the rollers 2-! and 15. The roller 23 is normally held out of "engagement wi'th the inner wall of the-can, and is brought unto-engage same by depressing the lever 33, a foot pedal -35 being provided for the purpose. 'Wi-th *a suitable motor, not shown, driving the rollers, the pan will be'rdtatedaxia lly and will be drawn inward-1y toward the standard due to the angular setting of the -driving rollers "and the freely s'lldable mounting of the sleeve 8 on the tube 5 and the slidable mounting of the rack 9 on the track 5- 5. lressure applied to theroller 26 'by foot pressure will, of course, press the an walls between the rollers 25 and 26 and-roll the nicks'and irregularities out of the can walls, restoring same to original smooth circular shape. A spring 5l is mounted bet-ween the standard 2 and the'lever 3 3 to "automatically move the roller 26 awayffrom the'can walls 'as'soon as the foot pedal is released.

it is deemed apparent -that the diameter to which a can is rolled may be'var'ied by adjusting the vertical "position of the rollers .25 and 12B .from 'the axis of the canythus the bearing plate 29 is adjustably carried on the standard by means of bolts '45.

,As means to regulate the pressure or force applied to the can 'walls "by the rollers 25 and .26, I provided a springlia in the linkage 3'9 betweenthe lever "33 and the foot operating pedal 35, thereby eliminating the possibilitythat "tooimuch pressure be applied. Thus the embossing on the can will not be rolled out entirely, though itmay befia'ttoned a little during the straightening process. .As may beseen, thepedal .35 is pivotally'moun'ted at one end on the frame or chassis .l, as at MLand the linkage :39 is connected 'to the pedal intermediate the ends thereof. The free end of the pedal projects beyond the .frame to give the operator convenientancess thereto.

It is to be .noted that the pedal .35 is BURNER. iently located where the operator of the machine :rol-lers is desirable to provide for self-feeding 7:5 has the best possible observance o'i'hiswork.

Having thus described my invention, what I claimis:

1. A device for restoring cylindrical objects to their normal shape comprising a body member, a track carried by said body member, a chuck slidably carried by said track, a tube extending from said'body member parallel with said track, a slidable sleeve on said tube, said chuck and sleeve being adapted to carry a cylindrical object therebetween and being axially rotatable together with said object, a roller carried by said body member, said roller being rotatablydriven and adapted to engage and rotate. saidobject, an inner roller carried by said body memberand adapted to'operate within said object adjacent said first roller, said inner roller being adapted to be moved to engage said object and press same against said first roller to remove irregularities from said object as it is rotated.

2. A device for restoring an object having cylindrical walls to its original shape comprising a body member, means carried by said body member to support said object in an axially rotatable position, a roller for engaging said. walls externally of said object and rotating same, means for driving said roller, a second roller carried by said body member and adapted to be moved within said object to engage said walls internally thereof, said second roller being adapted to be compressed toward first said roller to press irregularities irom said walls to restore said object to normal shape as it is rotated axially, and a third roller adjacent said first roller, means for driving said third roller, and said third roller being mounted with its axis at a slight angle to the axis of said first roller and being adapted to engage said object and drive same longitudinally to feed said object to said rollers gradually for straightening.

3. A device for restoring an object having cylindrical walls to its original shape comprising a body member, means carried by said body member to engage said object at each end thereof to support same in axially rotatable position, a pair of rollers, said rollers being rotatably carried so as to engage opposed surfaces of said walls between them, and one of said rollers being movable to press said walls against the other of said rollers to roll out irregularities in said walls, and means to move said rotated to permit said walls to be rolled progressively throughout their length.

4. The structure as set forth in claim 3 and said movable roller having a spring cushion to limit the stress applied to said walls.

5. The structure as set forth in claim 3 and said supporting means including a rotatable chuck to engage one end of said object and a rotatable sleeve having a tapered outer surface to engage the opposite end of said object.

6. A device for restoring an object having cylindrical walls to its original shape comprising a body member; means carried by said body member to support said object in axially rotatable position; means for rolling irregularities from said walls as said object is rotated comprising a pair of rollers, a first roller for engaging the outer surface of said walls and a second roller for engaging the inner surface of said walls, one of said rollers being movable toward the other to press said walls into substantially original shape; and a third roller adjacent said first roller, means for driving said third roller, and said third roller being mounted with its axis at a slight angle to the axis of said first roller and being adapted to object longitudinally as it is a engage said walls to drive same longitudinally to feed said objectto said pair of rollers for gradual straightening. I

7. A device for restoring cylindrical objects to their normal shape comprising a body member, a track carried by said body member, a chuck slid ably carried by said track, a tube extending from said body member parallel with said track, a slid: able sleeve on said tube, said chuck and sleeve being adapted to carry a cylindrical object therebetween and being axially rotatable together with said object, a roller carried by said body member, said roller being rotatably driven and adapted to engage and rotate said object, an inner roller carried by said body member and adapted to operate within said object adjacent said first roller, said inner roller being adapted to be moved to engage said object and press same against said first roller to remove irregularities from said object as it is rotated, and a third roller adjacent said other rollers, means for driving said third roller, and said roller being carried in slightly angular relation to said first and second rollers and being adapted to engage said object and drive same longitudinally to feed said object to said rollers for straightening.

8. A device for restoring an object having cylindrical walls to its original shape comprising a chassis, means carried by said chassis to support said object in an axially rotatable position, a roller for engaging said Walls externally of said object and rotating same, means for driving said roller, a second roller carried by said chassis and adapted to be moved within said object t engage said walls internally thereof, said second roller being adapted to be compressed toward first said roller to press irregularities from said Walls to restore said object to normal shape as it is rotated, said means to support said object comprising a tube carried on said chassis and extending therefrom, a tapered sleeve rotatably carried on said sleeve to receive one end of said object, and a rotatable chuck carried on said chassis in spaced relation to said sleeve to receive the opposite end of said chassis.

9. A device for restoring an object having cylindrical walls to its original shape comprising a body member; means carried by said body member to support said object in axially rotatable position; and means for rotating said object and rolling irregularities from said walls as it is rotated comprising a pair of rollers, one for engaging the outer surface of said walls and the other for engaging the inner surface of said walls, one of said rollers being movable toward the other to press said walls into substantially original shape; said means to support said object comprising a member to receive each end of said object, each of said last members being rotatable on alined axes, and means to permit the movement of each of said last members in a direction parallel to the axes of rotation of said object as said object is rotated whereby the walls of said object may be fed into said rollers progressively for straightening.

10. The structure as set forth in claim 9 and a third roller carried by said body member and being mounted with its axis at a slight angle to the axes of said pair of rollers, said third roller being driven and adapted to engage said walls to move said object and said last members in said direction parallel to the axes of rotation of said object.

11. A device for restoring an object having cylindrical walls to its original shape comprising a, body member, means carried fnzwsaid body-memher to engage said object at each end thereof to support same in axially rotatable position, a pair of rollers, said rollers being rotatably carried so as to engage opposed surfaces of said walls between them, and one of said rollers being movable to press said walls against the other of said rollers to roll out irregularities in said walls, means to move said object longitudinally as it is rotated to permit said walls to be rolled progressively throughout their length, last said means comprising a third roller adapted to engage one surface of said can adjacent 'one of said pair -of'rol1ers, said third roller loeing mounted with its axis in slight angular relation to the axes of :said pair of rollers, and means to rotat said third roller.

CALVIN D.

References Gited in the file *of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Boss 7 Oct. 28,, 11-879 Sturges Mar. 25, 1924 FGREIGN PATENTS Country Date France v July 9., 1928 Germany l Oct. 5, 1931 Germany Nov. 2, 193.1 Germany l Sept. 18, 1933 France Feb. 12, 1934 

